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Do Ex-Handler Judges View Dogs Differently?

Do former professional handlers see dogs from a different perspective than breeders or owner-handlers who become dog show judges?

Unexpected questions might be disconcerting to some people but dog show judges are expected to think on their feet. In the above question elicited great spontaneity from the top ii Pro Handlers who became judges. We asked four famous 'dog jockeys' "Do You See Dogs The Same As You Did As A Handler?" See below for a sampling of what they told www.TheJudgesPlace.com.

Tell subscribers if dogs are viewed the same and/or what changed when you became a judge on our Facebook page.

EUGENE BLAKE

 (Oregon - AKC Approved for All Sporting, Hound, Toy and Non-Sporting Groups, BIS)

“No, I don’t look at the dogs as I did as a handler. I used to look at a dog as a winning dog but in a different light. As a professional handler what I did, I read the standard on that dog to learn something about the breed before I really got into it. But what happens is most handlers want a dog to win regardless of whether it’s correct or not. They want a winner. As a judge, when I go in the ring, I try to find the most quality dog to the standard and when I say to the standard, it is my knowledge of what the standard says and my knowledge from input on that breed over the years and experience plays a big part in judging dogs. (he paused thoughtfully) Because you can learn just from the standards, but you also got to have some kind of understanding to go by also. More than what just the standard says it should be.”

SUSAN PORTERFIELD

 (Tennessee - AKC Approved for most Working Breeds)

“No, I don’t think I look at dogs just the same way as I did as a handler because as a handler, I looked at them from the perspective of just what the good and bad points were and then what I could to do to present that dog to it’s best advantage. As a judge, I’m going to have to know the good and find the bad points to base a decision on.”

JANE FORSYTH

 (North Carolina - AKC Approved for All Breeds - passed away July 3, 2015)

 “Yes, I believe I look at them the same way because I was always judging dogs as a handler with the thought in mind was I able to buy it for a client? or was it a dog I really liked? I looked at it as the same way as I do now which is type first, overall appearance second, and movement third. No, to me, there was no difference. I was always very aware of the dog’s quality. I said “Thank you Ma’am” or “Thank you Sir”, and sometimes I felt like saying “Yes I agree with you”, but I only got paid to show them well, (she laughed) I didn’t necessarily have to like them.”

CHARLOTTE PATTERSON

 (Florida - AKC Approved for Sporting, Terrier, Toy and Non-Sporting Groups, BIS)

“Yes, I think that when you are a handler, you are judging your dogs, meaning the quality of the exhibit you bring in the ring. That’s your job. I think as a judge you’re judging the quality of the exhibit standing in front of you, once again, because that’s your job. I think it’s the same thing. As a handler, it’s of course, your job to make the judge think it looks better (I heard the smile in her voice) or at least, as good as it can be. But I still think you look at them with the same eye, you should, to be a good handler or a good judge.”

The responses above were then and this is now, we ask current ex-handlers that are now judging... "Do You See Dogs The Same As You Did As A Handler?" Tell subscribers if dogs are viewed the same and/or what changed when you became a judge on our Facebook page.

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